Paper cutter for cutting specially coded stationery forms

ABSTRACT

A paper cutter in which special coded forms can be placed in which the cutter has an adjustable knife arrangement for cutting the inserted stationery forms in such manner as to indicate, for example, sums of money. The special form is coded, for example, by imprinting thereon columns in which money amounts are designated, and when the forms are placed in the cutter in a certain manner knives can be adjusted for severing the form at a predetermined point along each of the columns, thereby indicating a sum of money and which can be read either from the cut off form or from the stub or coupon removed therefrom in the cutting operation.

Dec. 4, 1973 PAPER CUTTER FOR CUTTING SPECIALLY CODED STATIONERY FORMS [76] Inventor:

Primary Examiner-J. M. Meister Attorney-Jeffers & Rickert Daniel Gamez Camacho, Tehuacan, Pueblo, Mexico [22] Filed: Feb. 16, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 226,836

ABSTRACT A paper cutter in which special coded forms can be placed in which the cutter has an adjustable knife ar- [52] US. 83/449, 83/467, 83/560, rangemem for cutting the inserted stationery forms in 83/618, 83/917 234/47 such manner as to indicate,

for example, sums of money. The special form is coded, for example, by imprinting thereon columns in which money amounts are [51] Int. 1326f 1/12 [58] Field of 83/618, 620, 467, 83/449, 917, 560, 558; 234/46, 47

designated, and when the forms are placed in the cutter in a certain manner knives can be adjusted for sevf .1 0M0. In t u mm e o nf o m m m m f .m o t m t ue m .mm m Que p md d a e V m m m m i 0 mm w a e r r ile D ed 0 dnm 7 mwam u Pb w m amm t e e m m m w m .m w o n a r mm w uc mm m g m .m m mmm e. ..wfic xxmwx wmKM mw w 82m 8 M W I. u C S m m n kh v. m m w; m a mssxmcm m D m &M% 4 199899 NAHUM Um4598 mmwmm 2 2 wm m mA M f1. 32 23 PATENTEU 0 v 4 9B 3.77 85 SHIT 1 [F 2 v I a x 1 l 4 7 PAPER CUTTER FOR CUTTING SPECIALLY- CODEDSTATIONERY FORMS The present invention relates to a paper cutter especially adapted for cutting-coded forms in a certain manner so as to impart information to the form, and'to the stub removed therefrom, in conformity with the place where the coded region of the form issevered by the cutter.

Many times, a transaction takes place in which the sum of money involved in the transaction is required to be shown. Real estate transfers and the like require the showing of a sum of money for tax purposes. At other times, valuable property is represented by a stationery form and in this case the value of the property can be designated directly on the form in some manner.

Forms of the nature referred to can'be coded by imprinting thereon columns with money amounts designated in the columns and a total sum of money can be shown quite readily on such a form by cutting the form off at certain points. in each column of the coded region, thereby separating the form into two parts, one of which can serve as a stub, or coupon, and from each of which the sum of money involved can be read.

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of .a special cutter arrangement'for cutting such stationery forms.

Another object of the invention is the'provision of a special cutter of the nature referred to having adjustable knives therein and which is simple and convenient to use. I

Still another object is the provision of a special cutter of the nature referred to which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and which operates efficiently and rapidly, and can easily be kept in repair.

These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent upon reference to the following detailed specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a cutter according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is schematically illustrating a special coded form for use with the cutter.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view showing a form after cutting off.

FIG. 3 is a central longitudinal section through the cutter.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section through the cutter to the right of the center of the cutter as it is viewed in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view, similar to FIG. 4, but taken to the left side of the center of the cutter as it is viewed in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a typical sliding cutter arrangement.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a cutter is provided having a lower part and an upper part supported thereon by springs and defining with the lower part a gap or slot for receiving a form to be cut. The upper and lower parts have cooperating elements of a knife structure for severing the form inserted in the slot in the direction from side to side thereof and through a coded region of the form. The cooperatingknives, or cooperating elements of knives, in the frame parts, are adjustable to control the exact region where the form is severed thereby. The cutter includes a numerical display so that-the cooperatingelements of the knives can be adjusted and when a-predetermined sum has been displayed on the display device, a form insertedin the cutter and'cut off therein will show thereon the same sum of money.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings somewhat more in detail, FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a special form 6 adapted for being operated in the cutter of the present invention. The form 5 includes a coded region 6a and which coded region is made up of columns with digits thereon ranging from zero to nine.

By cutting off the form 5 into two parts, and across the coded'region, the line of the cut across the coded region can be employed for designating sums'of money. Acut off form is-illustrated in FIG. 2A and the 'cut 'off line 6b thereon will be seen to go across the coded region along a stepped path so that each column of coded region 6a is cut off at a designated digit point thereon and can be employed for representing a sum of money. Thecut off portion of the form, not shown in FIG. 2A, can serve as a coupon and will show the same sum of money.

Turning now to the special cutter according to the present invention, the cutter shown in perspective in FIG. 1, will be seen to comprise a slot-7 for receiving the form 6. The form 6 is accurately located in slot 7 by adjustable guide' members Sand 9 and which'can be adjusted to accommodate'a variety of sizes which form 6 might take thereby to locate the coded region of the form in a predetermined position in respect of the cooperating elements of thecut off knives within the cut off device.

The cooperating elements of the cut off knives, and which are located on opposite sides of slot 7 above and below a form 6 inserted therein, are adjustable in the direction of the length of the columns of the coded region'of the-form by the pull bars 11 which are calibrated, if desired, to show the setting thereof. Further, the display device, preferably a digital display device, is indicated at 10 and is coupled to the adjusting pull bars 11 for the knife elements so as to display the'setting of the knife elements.

A hand lever 12 is pivotally mounted onthe cutter device and, when tilted, is operable for pivoting levers 13 aboutthe pivotal supports therefor, which will be consists of the relatively moveable knife carriers 15 and 16 which are spring urged, as by springs 18, in separating direction so as to permit forms to be cut to be introduced into the slot 7 and between the cooperating elements of the knives. Stripper elements, indicated at 17, are also spring urged toward the slot 7 are provided for insuring that the forms are stripped from theknife edges after being cut and will be loosely disposed in slot 7 so that they can readily be withdrawn therefrom.

In operation, the forms 6 comprise a coded area in the form of columns adjacent one another and bearing indicia, for example, the digits from zero to nine. When a form is placed in slot 7, the adjustable guide means is adjusted so that the coded area of the form will be located in a certain position in the cutter and in predetermined relation to the cut off knife arrangement in the cutter. When the form is in the said certain position the adjustable knives will align with the columns and each knife will span the width of a column. Thus, adjustment of the knives in the direction of the length of the columns will determine where each knife will cut off the form along the respective column. Adjusment of all of the knives will thus determine the points which all of the columns will be cut off whereby a certain indication can be imparted to the form and to the cut off portion thereof, which will serve as a coupon, for example, a sum of money.

The cutting device may advantageously comprise a frame supported on feet and adapted to rest on a desk or the like, and which frame can support therein the lower elements of the knives while vertically moveable in the frame is an upper portion carrying the upper portions of the knives and with the lever 12 being pivoted to the frame and, when tilted, actuating the said upper portion to move it vertically for effecting the cut off operation.

FIG. 6 shows a typical one of the slidable cutter bar arrangements which are adjustably longitudinally in the machine frame to determine the cut-off line. In FIG. 6, the gap in the cutter bar through which the document to be cut is introduced is designated by reference numeral 20. The cutter bar comprises a lower part22 and an upper part 24 guided for relative sliding movement toward and away from each other by the key elements 26 at the opposite ends. Springs 28 urge the upper and lower parts in separating direction. The upper part comprises a longitudinal cutting region 30 to which is opposed a spring press stripper plate 32 carried on lower part 22. Lower part 22 comprises a longitudinal cutting region 34 to which is opposed a stripper plate 36 resiliently mounted on upper part 24. Both cutting regions are in the form of planar surfaces parallel to the plane of the slot in the machine frame and as wide as the respective cutter bar.

The left end of cutter portion 30 in FIG. 6 cooperates with the right end of cutter portion 34 to provide for the transverse incision of the respective column on the form being severed.

The lateral edges of cutting portions 30 and 34 cooperate with the lateral edges of the corresponding cutting portions on the cutter bars adjacent thereto in order to cut the form being treated in a direction perpendicular to the lateral incisions formed therein.

It will be appreciated that by arranging a group of cutter bars, illustrated in FIG. 6, in adjacent face to face relation, the adjustment of the respective slides in the axial direction thereof will determine the contour of of the step-like cut made thereby in a form introduced into slot 7 of the machine frame and, therefore, into slots, or gaps, 20 of the sevearal cutter bars.

It will now be apparent that FIGS. 4 and show cutter arrangements at the side edges of the coded region of the form and on opposite sides of the group of slidable cutter bars and cooperating with the end ones of the cutter bars. Thus, FIG. 4 shows a cutting edge on part to cooperate with cutting region 34 of the adjacent cutter bar, while FIG. 5 shows a cutting edge on part 16 to cooperate with cutting region 30 of the adja cent cutter bar.

Through the cooperation of the cutting regions on the cutter bars with each other and the cooperation of the cutting regions on the end ones of said cutting bars with the above referred to cutting edges, a form can be severed into two parts along a stepped line which intersects each column of the coded region in a predetermined place.

Modifications may be made within the purview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for cutting stationery forms which are provided with coded areas thereon which comprises: a frame, a slot in the frame to receive a form to be cut, knife means in the frame to cut the form and means to actuate the knife means, and guide means adjustably mounted on the frame for guiding a form to be cut into a precise position in said slot, said knife means comprising first and second portions in opposed relation on opposite sides of the plane of said slot, each said portion having a longitudinally extending cutting region facing the other said portion and said regions being in end to end relation so as to make a transverse cut in a form in said slot when said portions are moved toward each other, each said portion comprising a resilient stripper plate in opposed relation to the said cutting region of the other portion.

2. A device for cutting stationery forms which are provided with coded columnar areas thereon comprismg:

a frame having a slot therein to receive a form to be cut;

knife means in the frame to cut the form along lines generally perpendicular to the columnar areas to thereby separate the form into two parts each having a respective portion of each columnar area thereon;

means supported on the frame for actuating said knife means; and

guide means adjustably mounted on the frame for guiding a form to be cut into a precise position in said slot.

3. A device according to claim 2 in which said coded area is, in the form of adjacent columns, said knife means comprising a respective knife means for each column of the coded area, and adjusting means connected to the respective knife means for adjustment thereof in the direction of the length of said columns.

4. A device according to claim 3 which includes display means on said frame connected to said adjusting means to be actuated thereby and providing for a visual display of the adjustment of said knife means.

5. A device according to claim 3 in which said device includes a knife carrier moveably mounted therein and operable when acutated to move toward a form disposed in said slot and carrying out a cutting operation thereon, and arm means pivotally mounted on said frame and operable upon tilting movement thereof to actuate said knife carrier for a form cutting operation.

6. A device according to claim 5 which includes levers in substantially end to end relation and pivoted intermediate the ends thereof to said frame and extending in the direction of the length of said knife carrier, said levers at the ends thereof most remote from each other being engageable with said knife carrier and at the ends nearest each other operatively engaging said tive knife means whereby each cutting region is adapted to cooperate with the cutting regions of adjacent knife means to form incisions in said form extending in the direction of said knife means. 

1. A device for cutting stationery forms which are provided with coded areas thereon which comprises: a frame, a slot in the frame to receive a form to be cut, knife means in the frame to cut the form and means to actuate the knife means, and guide means adjustably mounted on the frame for guiding a form to be cut into a precise position in said slot, said knife meanS comprising first and second portions in opposed relation on opposite sides of the plane of said slot, each said portion having a longitudinally extending cutting region facing the other said portion and said regions being in end to end relation so as to make a transverse cut in a form in said slot when said portions are moved toward each other, each said portion comprising a resilient stripper plate in opposed relation to the said cutting region of the other portion.
 2. A device for cutting stationery forms which are provided with coded columnar areas thereon comprising: a frame having a slot therein to receive a form to be cut; knife means in the frame to cut the form along lines generally perpendicular to the columnar areas to thereby separate the form into two parts each having a respective portion of each columnar area thereon; means supported on the frame for actuating said knife means; and guide means adjustably mounted on the frame for guiding a form to be cut into a precise position in said slot.
 3. A device according to claim 2 in which said coded area is in the form of adjacent columns, said knife means comprising a respective knife means for each column of the coded area, and adjusting means connected to the respective knife means for adjustment thereof in the direction of the length of said columns.
 4. A device according to claim 3 which includes display means on said frame connected to said adjusting means to be actuated thereby and providing for a visual display of the adjustment of said knife means.
 5. A device according to claim 3 in which said device includes a knife carrier moveably mounted therein and operable when acutated to move toward a form disposed in said slot and carrying out a cutting operation thereon, and arm means pivotally mounted on said frame and operable upon tilting movement thereof to actuate said knife carrier for a form cutting operation.
 6. A device according to claim 5 which includes levers in substantially end to end relation and pivoted intermediate the ends thereof to said frame and extending in the direction of the length of said knife carrier, said levers at the ends thereof most remote from each other being engageable with said knife carrier and at the ends nearest each other operatively engaging said arm means whereby tilting of said arm means on said frame will supply actuating force to both ends of said knife carrier.
 7. A device according to claim 1 in which each said cutting region is in the form of a planar area parallel to the plan of said slot and the same width as the respective knife means whereby each cutting region is adapted to cooperate with the cutting regions of adjacent knife means to form incisions in said form extending in the direction of said knife means. 